Students who have not previously created a PowerPoint
presentation often ask me for pointers for using the program. This is more or
less what I tell them. When using PowerPoint or other presentational aids, new
and current users of these tools will profit from reading or reviewing these
tips for creating PowerPoint with punch.

As with any educational endeavor, the usual four key aspects
must be considered.

The
presenter/instructor

The
student/audience

The
content or skill

The
methods for presenting the materials.

In the end, the presentation has to carefully balance
all of these elements. A change in any one of the four causes a change in the others.

When developing PowerPoint, or other informational
staging, presenters need to understand their audience’s needs and abilities. In
fact, PowerPoint might not be the best choice for the situation. As classroom lights
are turned off, some students may be turned off by the dismal prospect of being
held captive by yet another PowerPoint production . To
use it well, you must use it wisely and sparingly—incorporating other
techniques to support delivery of the content or skill or using it as a
flowchart for following along. At its worst it is a
not-so-thinly disguised lecture; at its best it can enhance both presenters’
organization and learners’ attention, comprehension, and retention.

Strategies for Increasing PowerPoint’s Effectiveness

Many of these strategies are similar to those used by
other media to convey ideas. Look at print advertising to see what catches your
eye and helps you remember information. What works there probably will work
with a PowerPoint.

FONTS

Use “sans
serif” of fonts which are easier to read because they lack
decorative flourishes.

Be
consistent from slide to slide by creating a master slide

Use “bold”
to emphasize key points. Typically, left justification is easy to read. . And
unjustified (ragged) right is better than justified.

Use
font size around 20 points or higher (depending on the font style) for easy
reading. Project it to test it for appropriate legibility.

Choose
a lettering color which contrasts well with its
background, again for easier reading. Black lettering on white background is an
example of high contrast. Avoid brightly colored backgrounds.

Employ
no more than two font styles to keep the slide from becoming too busy.

Change
up font sizes to create a flow for the reader (e.g.,. Start an outline with bigger font sized heading, then get smaller with informational
subsets).

When
there is a priority order to your information, use numbering; when there is
not, use bullets.

IMAGES

Use graphics
that complement and reinforce the information, not just fill space. The images
can be powerful educational enhancements.

Make
images large enough for the audience to see them clearly.

Choose
clear photos with high contrast. Avoid low-resolution images taken from the
web.

Employ
diagrams and tables that are as simple as possible while getting across the
information you need. Too many grid lines and supporting text can create
confusion.

VOLUME

Because
too much information on a slide becomes overwhelming, restrict information to
6-10 lines.

Give a
maximum of six key pieces of information per slide because that is what people
can remember.

Break
up your presentation with non-PowerPoint, engaging activities which prompt
thought such as checking for understanding, discussion, inquiry, groups, black/white-board,… related to the subject at hand so that a whole
presentation is not totally dominated by PowerPoint. This “chunking” (breaking
a presentation into chunks) should occur about every 15 minutes or less.

ANIMATION

Various
slide transitions can add movement to the presentation, but can also be
irritating. Use with caution.

When
you want to make a sequence of points, one at a time, have them appear one at a
time.

Many animations, like spinning text or flying text, are
distracters.

THE
PRESENTER

As a
presenter, keep the attention on yourself. Don’t entirely turn your
presentation over to the projected screen. Use the information on the screen to
support or emphasize your points. PowerPoint should support you, not the
reverse.

Draw
attention to the essential pieces of what you have on the screen by reading only
them aloud. Secondary bits of information may not need to be read aloud. Audience
members can read faster than you can speak. If you are not going to read the
information, allow time for the audience to read it.

Use a
remote to advance slides. If someone else advances your slides for you, have
good cues for orchestrating the flow.

NOTES
AND HANDOUTS

For
educational presentations, handouts with slides or the content of slides helps
students keep up with the information. They can take notes on the handout.

Some
presenters like to post their PowerPoint presentations to the Web before or
after the talk. To focus their audience’s attention, some like to post their
notes with missing ingredients which students can fill
in as the session progresses.